The Logo of the City and County of Swansea council |
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The Arms of the City and County of Swansea |
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| Control | Liberal Democrats/Independent Coalition |
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| Official Website | swansea.gov.uk |
The City and County of Swansea Council (Welsh: Cyngor Dinas a Sir Abertawe) is the governing body for one of the Principal Areas of Wales covering Swansea, Gower and the surrounding area. The council consists of 72 councillors representing 36 electoral wards.
The council is currently controlled by the Liberal Democrats and is led by Councillor Christopher Holley.
Contents |
Elections take place every four years. The last election was 1 May 2008.[2]
| Group affiliation[1] | Members |
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|---|---|---|
| Labour | 27 | |
| Liberal Democrat | 24 | |
| Independent |
7 | |
| Independents@Swansea |
6 | |
| Conservative | 4 | |
| Communities of Swansea |
3 | |
| Plaid Cymru | 1 | |
| Total |
72 | |
| Year | Labour | Conservative | Liberal Democrats | Plaid Cymru | Others | Turnout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 30 | 4 | 23 | 1 | 14 | 38.19% | NOC, Swansea Administration controlled |
| 2004 | 32 | 4 | 19 | 5 | 12 | 38.32% | NOC, Swansea Administration controlled |
| 1999 | 45 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 9 | Labour controlled | |
| 1995 | Labour controlled |
source: [3]
Between 1996 and 2004, the council was under Labour control. Since 2004 there has been no overral control and the council has been led by a Liberal Democrats coalition with an alliance with the Independents and the Conservatives, termed the Swansea Administration. However these figures changed during the 2004-2008 period with the defection of Cllr. Keith Morgan from Plaid Cymru to the Welsh Liberal Democrats in 2005 and Cllr. Rene Kinzett from the Welsh Liberal Democrats to the Conservatives in 2006.
Following the 2008 elections, the Liberal Democrats agreed with the Independents to form another coalition for the next four years.
Swansea's first charter was granted sometime between 1158-1184 by William de Newburgh, 3rd Earl of Warwick. The charter gave Swansea the status of a borough, granting the townsmen, called burgesses certain rights to develop the area. A second charter was granted in 1215 by King John. By 1888, the borough acquired the status of county borough, separating it from the administrative county of Glamorgan.
In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Swansea (which had previously been a county borough) was merged with Gower Rural District, to become a district of West Glamorgan called the District and City of Swansea. In 1996, another local government reform saw the district of Swansea merged with parts of the Lliw Valley district to form a unitary authority under the name of the 'City and County of Swansea' (Welsh: Dinas a Sir Abertawe.)
The mayor of Swansea is a senior member of the elected Council. The style of the mayor is "The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Swansea". The Lord Mayor's official residence is the Mansion House in Ffynone.
| Municipal Year | Mayor |
|---|---|
| 2010–2011 | Richard Lewis |
| 2009–2010 | Alan Lloyd |
| 2008–2009 | Gareth Sullivan |
| 2007–2008 | Susan Waller |
| 2006–2007 | Chris Holley |
| 2005–2006 | Mair Gibbs |
The city is divided into 36 electoral wards. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Each community can have an elected council. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':
| Map # | Ward | Communities (Parishes) | Places covered | # Councillors | Population (*1) | Land Area (km²) | Population density (ppl/km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishopston | Bishopston* | Barland Common, Caswell, Bishopston, Clyne Common, Manselfield, Murton, Oldway | 1 | 3,341 | 5.89 | 567 |
| 2 | Bon-y-maen | Bon-y-maen | Pentrechwyth, Pentre Dwr, Winch Wen | 2 | 6,342 | 8.47 | 749 |
| 3 | Castle | Castle | Swansea city centre, Brynmelin, Dyfatty, Maritime Quarter, parts of Mount Pleasant and Sandfields | 4 | 11,933 | 3.03 | 3,938 |
| 4 | Clydach | Clydach* | Clydach, Faerdre, Glais (East) and Penydre | 2 | 7,320 | 8.46 | 865 |
| 5 | Cockett | Cockett | Cadle, Cwmdu, Coedweig, Gendros, Gors, Fforestfach, Waunarlwydd | 4 | 12,586 | 8.6 | 1,464 |
| 6 | Cwmbwrla | Cwmbwrla | Brondeg, Brynhyfryd, Cwmdu, Gendros, Manselton | 3 | 8,217 | 1.5 | 5,478 |
| 7 | Dunvant | Dunvant | Dunvant, Killay | 2 | 4,679 | 2.41 | 1,941 |
| 8 | Fairwood | Upper Killay*, Three Crosses ward of the community of Llanrhidian Higher* | Upper Killay, Three Crosses | 1 | 2,774 | 13.44 | 206 |
| 9 | Gorseinon | Gorseinon Central and Gorseinon East wards of the community of Gorseinon* | Gorseinon town | 1 | 3,275 | 2.23 | 1,469 |
| 10 | Gower | The Communities of:
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Cheriton, Fairyhill, Horton, Knelston, Landimore, Llanddewi, Llangennith, Llanmadoc, Llanrhidian, Middleton, Nicholaston, Oldwalls, Overton, Oxwich Green, Oxwich, Parkmill, Penmaen, Penrice, Port Eynon, Reynoldston, Rhossili, Grovesend, Llanmorlais, Pentrebach, Pont-Lliw, Poundffald, Slade | 1 | 3,654 | 113.2 | 32 |
| 11 | Gowerton | Gowerton* | Gowerton village, Penclawdd, Waunarlwydd | 1 | 4,928 | 7.55 | 653 |
| 12 | Killay North | Killay* (North ward) | Carnglas, Olchfa and Waunarlwydd | 1 | 3,436 | 1.99 | 1,727 |
| 13 | Killay South | Killay* (South ward) | Dunvant, Ilston, Sketty | 1 | 2,297 | 1.24 | 1,852 |
| 14 | Kingsbridge | Llwchwr* (Garden Village and Kingsbridge wards) | Garden Village, Stafford Common | 1 | 4,089 | 4.82 | 848 |
| 15 | Landore | Landore | Hafod, Landore, Morfa, Plasmarl | 2 | 6,121 | 2.23 | 2,745 |
| 16 | Llangyfelach |
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Pantlasau, Tircoed | 1 | 4,426 | 17.12 | 259 |
| 17 | Llansamlet | Llansamlet, Birchgrove | Birchgrove, Glais, Heol Las, Llansamlet, Morriston, Talycoppa and Trallwn | 4 | 12,003 | 15.54 | 772 |
| 18 | Lower Loughor | Llwchwr* (Lower Loughor ward) | Loughor | 1 | 2,146 | 1.61 | 1,767 |
| 19 | Mawr | Mawr* | Felindre, Craigcefnparc, Garnswllt, Ryhdypandy | 1 | 1,800 | 57.81 | 31 |
| 20 | Mayals | Mumbles* (Mayals ward) | Blackpill, Mayals, West Cross | 1 | 2,834 | 4.52 | 627 |
| 21 | Morriston | Morriston* | Caemawr, Cwmrhydyceirw, Morriston town, Parc Gwernfadog, Pant-lasau, Ynysforgan and Ynystawe | 5 | 16,781 | 7.32 | 2,292 |
| 22 | Mynydd-Bach | Mynydd-Bach | Clase, Clasemont, Park View Estate, Penfillia Estate, Treboeth, Tirdeunaw, Pinewood, Mynydd Garnlywd and Bryn Rock | 3 | 8,756 | 3.57 | 2,453 |
| 23 | Newton | Mumbles* (Newton ward) | Caswell, Langland Bay | 1 | 3,150 | 2.36 | 1,335 |
| 24 | Oystermouth | Mumbles* (Oystermouth ward) | Norton, Mumbles, Thistleboon | 1 | 4,315 | 2.01 | 2,147 |
| 25 | Penclawdd | Llanrhidian Higher* (Llanmorlais and Penclawdd wards) | Blue Anchor, Llanmorlais, Penclawdd, Crofty and Wernffrwd | 1 | 3,672 | 14.3 | 257 |
| 26 | Penderry | Penderry | Penlan, Portmead, Blaen-y-Maes, Fforesthall and Caereithin | 3 | 10,981 | 4.04 | 2,718 |
| 27 | Penllergaer | Penllergaer* | Penllergaer and part of Gorseinon | 1 | 2,434 | 6.01 | 405 |
| 28 | Pennard | Pennard* | Bishopston, Fairwood Common, Kittle, Parkmill, Southgate | 1 | 2,648 | 11.64 | 227 |
| 29 | Penyrheol |
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Grovesend and Waun Gron | 2 | 5,780 | 8.61 | 671 |
| 30 | Pontarddulais | Pontarddulais* | Pontarddulais town | 2 | 5,293 | 15.61 | 339 |
| 31 | St. Thomas | St. Thomas | Bon-y-maen, Dan-y-graig, Landore, Port Tennant, SA1 Waterfront, Swansea Docks, Kilvey Hill and the Grenfell Park Area, St. Thomas | 2 | 6,373 | 5.91 | 1,078 |
| 32 | Sketty | Sketty | Carnglas, Clyne Valley (Gwerneinon), Derwen Fawr, Hendrefoilan, Killay, Singleton Park, Sketty village, Tycoch, Cwmgwyn | 5 | 13,799 | 6.87 | 2,009 |
| 33 | Townhill | Townhill | Cwm-Gwyn, Mayhill, Mount Pleasant, Townhill | 3 | 8,443 | 1.8 | 4,691 |
| 34 | Uplands | Uplands | Brynmill, St. Helens, Cwmgwyn, Ffynone and The Lons, Uplands | 4 | 13,355 | 2.31 | 5,781 |
| 35 | Upper Loughor | Llwchwr* (Upper Loughor ward) | Loughor | 1 | 2,845 | 1.61 | 1,767 |
| 36 | West Cross | Mumbles* (West Cross ward) | Manselfield, Norton, Mumbles and Newton, West Cross
Remove Manselfield from the West Cross Ward. It is within the Bishopston Ward. As shown. |
2 | 6,475 | 2.48 | 2,611 |
*1 - 2001 Census
The logo of the City and County of Swansea depicts a stylised Osprey. It is sometimes shown with the name the council written beneath it or written in a ring around the Osprey pictogram.
The official coat of arms used by the council today were granted by the College of Arms in 1922. The motto is 'Floreat Swansea'.
The Arms are blazoned as follows:
The Arms are symbolic to an extent: the blue and white wavy bars represent the sea, since Swansea is a port town; the Castle represents the Medieval fortifications of the Town; the lion as dexter supporter and on the Inescutcheon commemorates the link with the de Breos family; and the dragon as sinister supporter is the National Emblem of Wales and is a supporter in the Achievement of Arms of the present Lord Swansea.
In April 1974, the City of Swansea was merged with the Gower Rural District to form the new District and City of Swansea. The Arms granted to the Corporation of the County Borough of Swansea in 1922 were transferred unchanged to the new City Council in May 1975. The Certificate of Transfer of the College of Arms dated 11 March 1976 confirmed the re-granting of the Arms. With the 1996 reorganisation of local government, the arms were transferred a second time to the present City Council.[2]
The council serves as the local education authority for schools based within the unitary authority area.
Top performing secondary schools in City and County of Swansea, based on 5 GCSEs, A-C Grade, according to the latest inspection reports from Estyn
Ysgol Gyfun Bryntawe is a new Welsh Medium Comprehensive School which opened in 2003. Their GCSE results will be published in late 2008 after Y11 sit their exams. According to the latest Estyn inspection the school scored Grade 1 in most areas that were tested, so exam results are anticipated to be exceptional. The Times newspaper called it 'one of leading schools in the country'. [4]
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